The white cat stood on the edge of a tree branch, watching as a little white fox dashed over to an owl and a human being, who were standing on top of a inclined plane of land. The owl turned to face the fox as it ran towards him, and the figure of the owl vanished to reveal a human being, catching the fox in his arms as it approached. The cat leapt from the top of the tree, and ran over to them to watch.

As he climbed up onto the edge, he saw the little white fox become a human, as well, and the boy who was the owl was now playing with and teasing the boy who was the fox, only seconds ago. It seemed that the other person with them could not transform as they did. But, that man did see the white cat staring at them at the edge of the inclined plane, which fell down like a cliff; but, it still had to be, at the most, a twenty-foot drop.

Standing at the edge of it made the cat gulp. He was about to take a step forward, but the man who was a human from the start looked at him, and the cat froze.

"Okay, Bakura," the man said, smirking, "you don't need to stay disguised."

The white cat hissed as it turned into a human, who was growling. "Malik, maybe I wanted to stay as I was."

Malik smirked. "What were you planning on doing, in animal form, Bakura? Catching mice? Playing cat and mouse?"

"I don't like revealing my true form, Malik!", Bakura shouted.

The two boys behind them were still playing hard-to-get with one another. Bakura turned around to face the boys as Malik started to do the same. He watched as the boy who was once the little white fox fell off the edge of the inclined plane, and fell. Bakura dropped to the ground and caught his hand. He pulled the boy up, right into his arms.

"Ryou, don't do that!", he scolded. "I thought I was going to lose you!"

Ryou nodded, then Bakura proceeded to tickle him, just a little. Ryou giggled, then Bakura let him down. The boy who was the owl only seconds ago came over, and stood next to Bakura. Bakura got a chill up his spine.

"He's still so child-like," he said. "I mean, he acts like a toddler in all given ways- Heck, I saw him throw a tantrum earlier. He doesn't even talk, he just makes little noises. Have you found out what's wrong with him?"

Bakura only sighed. "All I that he's sick."

"Sick? That's all you can tell me?", the boy asked.

"Yeah. I still don't know with what," Bakura informed him, "but, we'll figure it out."

"We?"

"Ryou," Bakura said, pointing to him.

"How long do you suppose he'll be like that?", the boy asked.

Bakura groaned. He was getting annoyed with all of the boy's questions, and he really didn't want to answer. "Well," he started, "the second we find out what his condition is, the sooner we can start finding a cure. However, seldom seen cases have very little medicine. I don't know what he has, and I've never seen it before. So, I can well assume that Ryou is a special case."

The boy smiled. "Well, let me know anything you find out. He is my best friend, you know."

Hikari to Hikari. Yami to Yami never worked out, but, the Hikaris got along just fine. It made Bakura wonder if Yami and Hikari worked. "So, tell me, Marik. Is Malik, over there, an Animagus, as well? Or, is he just weak on magic?"

"He's a Squib. You knew that already," Marik answered.

Bakura chuckled. "Yeah. That's why I'm not surprised. Malik couldn't even lift a wand to save... his... life."

Bakura turned around. He had heard whispering. Then, as he turned around, he saw it. Malik saw it, too. A group of three humanoid figures, covered in tattered, pitch black cloaks, hovering just about three or four inches off the ground. It was nearing them. Bakura and Marik both raised their wands.

"Expecto Patronum!", both boys shouted.

Bakura looked warily behind him. Another one was nearing Ryou. Ryou was standing on two feet, now, and he had his wand raised, as well. "Expecto Patronum!", he screamed.

At that second, a silvery white mist came out of all three wands, and formed itself into the shape of an animal. Bakura's, a cat. Marik's, an owl. Ryou's... Malik couldn't believe his eyes. A unicorn for a Patronus. The silvery white animals came and circled around the cloaked figures, causing them to turn the opposite direction and go away. Suddenly, Malik screamed.

The fourth one had him in it's clutches. Marik raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

But, it was too late. Malik fell to the ground, cold. His heart was still beating, and he was still breathing, but his soul had been sucked from him, and he was dead on the inside. Marik went over to Malik, and picked up his body.

Ryou came over. He seemed to be acting like a child again, but was really being mature, as he was standing on his own two feet, leaning into Bakura, and crying on his shoulder. Bakura wasn't emotional now, and he certainly wouldn't be later. He still felt a pang of guilt, though, for not having sent his Patronus sooner. In reality, he had seen the cloaked figure, the Dementor, approaching Malik, and he had decided to ignore it, and let him die. Bakura knew it was his fault.

That was how they lost Malik.